The Florida Board of Education has tapped a top aide of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to be the state’s next education commissioner, a choice meant to influence K-12 and higher education policy in the state while bolstering a conservative legacy that could long outlast the governor's time in office.

Anastasios Kamoutsas, a Florida International University alum, has overseen policy efforts in education, law enforcement and emergency management in Gov. Ron DeSantis' office.